Rack



July 26, 1949.

J. W. STEVENS RACK Filed Sept. 12, 1946 Patented July 26, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RACK Joseph W. Stevens, Pompton Plains, N. J.

Application September 12, 1946, Serial No. 696,392

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a rack for detachably supporting articles of clothing, such as neckties, and it is an object of the invention to increase the capacity of the rack without increasing the size thereof.

It is another object of the invention to pivotally support a series of clamping members on both sides or faces of a supporting plate by a single pintle or rod.

It is a further object of the invention to adapt the supporting plate to be pivotally mounted upon a suitable bracket whereby the plate is adjusted to desired positions.

Another object of the invention is to mount the clamping members in opposed pairs on the pintle or rod and yieldingly urge corresponding ends of said pair of members into clamping engagement with the opposite faces of the supporting plate by a single spring.

A further object of the invention is to provide clamping members of channel shape in cross section with the side walls of the channel tapering from an intermediate portion to the opposite ends to provide spaced and elongated gripping or clamping portions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this application,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the rack forming the embodiment of the invention pivotal- 1y mounted upon a bracket.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rack looking at the top of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises a rectangular plate 5 having one end edge of curved form to enhance the appearance thereof and the opposite end arranged with an inwardly extending recess or cut-out portion 6 intermediate the longitudinal edges of the plate, as shown in Figure 1. The material of the plate on the opposite sides of the recess 6 is rolled inwardly from said end to form knuckles for the pivotal engagement of a pivot shown as a pintle 8 fixed at one end to a bracket 9 adapted to be mounted on a suitable supporting surface l0, such as a wall or door, with the pintle extending in parallel spaced relation with said surface, as shown in Figure 1, so that the plate is adjustable to extend parallelly of or at an angle to the supporting surface.

Longitudinally of the plate in horizontal alinement with the recess 6, there is provided a series of equidistantly spaced oiTset portions H and I2, the portions ll being offset from one face of the plate alternately With the portions 12 offset from the opposite face of the plate to support a spindle or rod l3 longitudinally of the plate with one end terminating in the end offset portion II and the other end of the rod terminating at the recess 6. The offset portions H and 12 are of curved or arcuate form in cross section to facilitate engagement of the rod into said portions from recess 6. The plate 5 is also arranged with a series of openings H} in the spaces between the adjacent ends of the offset portions ll and i2, to expose spaced portions of the rod l3 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The articles to be supported, such as a necktie t, are detachably clamped to both faces of the plate 5 by two rows of clamping members l5 and it, each member being of channel shape in cross section having ear portions 11 extending from the walls of the channel intermediate the ends of said member and shown as being nearer one end with the side walls of the channel tapering in height from said ear portions to the opposite ends of the member, as shown at [8 in Figure 3. The ear portions I! are provided with alined openings to pivotally mount the clamping members on the exposed portions of the rod l3 extending across the openings M with the ear portions extending through said openings. members [5 and iii are mounted on the rod in opposed pairs with one ear portion I! of each member interposed between the ears of the other opposed member, as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

In assembling the members l5 and E6 on the plate 5, the members [5 and iii are first positioned in the openings M, then the rod I3 is pushed from the recess 6 along the end oiTset portion l2 into and through the openings in the ears I! of the members l5 and i6 adjacent to said offset portion l2, then along the offset portion ll into and through the openings in the ears I! of the members l5 and i6 succeeding said ofiset portion II, and this engagement of the rod with the succeeding offset portions II and I2 and the openings in the ears I! of the members l5 and I6 is repeated until the forward end of the rod abuts the juncture between the end oilset portion I l and the plate 5.

The end portions of the clamping members IS The and i extending the shortest distance from the ear portions I"! are yieldingly urged to engage the tapering channel walls of said members with the opposed faces of the plate 5 by a straight spring l9 formed to U shape by extending the center portion of the spring through an opening l4 and engaging the opposite end portions in the channels of the longer end portions of the members l5 and 16, as shown in Figures 2. and 3. The tapering of the side walls of the channel of the members I5 and i6 increases the amount of surface of said side walls engaging the opposite faces of the plate, as shown in Figure 3, and assures the clamping of a necktie between said members and the plate. The channel walls of the members l5 and I8 also provide said members with spaced grippingor clamping surfaces which also assure a more positive clamping of articles to the plate 5.

A necktie is clamped between a member IE or Hi and the plate 5 bydepressing the longer end portion of said. member against the force of the spring I9, engaging a folded portion of the necktie on the plate in line with the shorter end portion of the member H5 or it which is Spaced from the plate, and releasing the longerend portion of said member which permits the shorter end portion to engage and clamp the necktie underthe force of the spring 19 against the plate.

The necktie is removed from the plate 5 and clamping member IE or. IE by depressing the longer end portion of said clamping member, or by pulling the necktie frombetween the plate and the clamping member.

Having thus described my invention' I claim:

1. In a rack, a plate having equidistantly spaced portions offset alternately from the opposite faces of the plate and openings inthe plate between the oii'set portions, a rod engagedin the onset portions and extending transversely of the openings, pairs of clamping,members-pivotally mounted on the portions of the rod extending transversely of the openings in the plate and the members of each pair of members juxtaposed to the opposite faces of the plate, and a spring car ried by each pair of clamping members to urge one end of the clamping members into clamping engagement with the juxtaposed face of the plate.-

2. A rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein one end of the plate is arranged with knuckles. to adapt said plate to be pivotally mounted.

3. A' rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein each clamping member is arranged with a pair of spaced ears extending into an opening in the plate and pivotally engaged on the rod.

4. A rack as claimed inclaim 1', wherein each clamping member is arranged with a pair of spaced ears extending into an opening in the plate and pivotally engaged on the rod with one ear of a clamping member of a pair of clamping members interposed between the ears of the other clamping member of said pair of clampin members.

5. A rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the offset portions are extended from the plate equidistances and are substantially of arcuate shape in cross section.

6. In a rack, a plate having equidistantly spaced openings, a rod mounted on the plate to extend transversely of the openings, and pairs of clamping member pivotally mounted on the portions of the rod extending transversely of the openings-and the members of each pair of clamping members juxtaposed to the opposite faces of the plate and a spring extending through each opening and engaging a pair of clamping members to urge a corresponding end of said members into clamping engagement, with the plate.

7.- In a rack, a plate having equidistantly spaced openings, a rod mounted on the plate to extend transversely of the openings, clamping members of channel shape in cross section and having ears extending from the side walls of the. channel intermediate the ends of said members and pivotally mounted on the portions of the rod extendin transversely of the openings, the clamping members being arranged in pair and the members of each pair juxtaposed to the opposite faces of the plate, and a spring having an intermediate portion extending through the opening in the plate and the opposite end portions engaged with a portion of each member of a pair of clamping members on one side of the rod to yieldingly urge the ends of the clamping members on the opposite side of the rod into clamp ing engagement with the plate.

8 A rack as claimed in claim 7, wherein the side walls of the channel of the clamping members taper from the ears to the ends engaging the plate to increase the area of the clamping members engaging the plate.

JOSEPH W. STEVENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referen'ces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 724,427 Bonsall Apr. 7, 1903 1,089.916 Fisher Mar. 10, 1914 1,281,913 Curley Oct. 15, 1918' 1,557,989 Dombrowsky Oct. 20, 1925 

